Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom) has lamented continued vandalism of its electricity supply infrastructure which is leading to annual losses of K2 billion.
Escom made the statement yesterday after unidentified vandals damaged transformers, poles and wires in Thyolo District and at Miseu-Folo in Phalombe District on Sunday, leaving several areas without power.
Speaking in an interview yesterday, Escom chief operations officer Maxwell Mulimakwenda said the company has numerous transformers spread nationwide and any investment in enhanced security measures such as securing the equipment with electric fences would involve huge costs.
| Courtesy of Escom
However, he said Escom is planning to use surveillance cameras to curb vandalism in hotspot areas such as Phalombe and Thyolo.
Said Mulimakwenda: “But we cannot put security measures everywhere. That is why we emphasise that the communities would be the best security. The communities need to work together with us to fight vandalism.”
In a separate interview yesterday, Escom chief public relations and communications officer Pilirani Phiri said no arrests have been made in connection with the cases in Phalombe and Thyolo.
He also said that police in Phalombe have opened investigations and Escom is closely collaborating with them to ensure that the culprits are brought to justice.
Said Phiri: “But we would like to appeal to the public to take ownership of electricity infrastructure in their communities. These installations; poles, transformers, conductors, and meters, are not just Escom’s assets; they are national assets that power homes, schools, health facilities, and businesses.”
Phalombe Police spokesperson Jimmy Kapanja and Thyolo Police publicist Rabecca Kashoti asked for more time before commenting.
Under the Electricity Act of 2024, any person who damages, destroys, or vandalises any electricity installation equipment or apparatus, commits an offence and is, upon conviction, liable to imprisonment for thirty years.
Last year, former Escom chief executive officer Kandi Padambo told The Nation that it was not easy to deal with the vice as some of the people involved in the malpractice may have some knowledge of Escom infrastructure and how it works.
